Remote control aerosol holder-actuator



Jan. 20, 1970 J. E. THIELEN REMOTE CONTROL AEROSOL HOLDER-ACTUATOR Filed April 25. 1968 54 J4 \[L/I I Il/A" I I I I v INVEN'IOR. 14M555 TH/EZEN Y p v 3,490,652 REMOTE CONTROL AEROSOL HOLDER- ACTUATOR James E. Thielen, New Brighton, Minn., assignor to Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 25, 1968, Ser. No. 724,021 Int. Cl. B65d 83/14 US. Cl. 222174 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to devices for protecting, supporting, and securely holding aerosol containers and remotely dispensing the contents thereof. More particularly, it relates to a simple, compact device adapted for attachment to conventional floor cleaning and polishing machines so as to securely hold an aerosol container and dispense the contents thereof on the fioor surface by remote control.

A typical floor cleaning and polishing machine has a relatively large motor-driven circular drive block, the face of which is parallel to the floor; a brush or non-woven fibrous pad interposed between the drive block and floor is rotated by the former. A handle extends diagonally upward from the base of the machine to a height which is convenient for the operator to grasp. Raising or lowering the handle slightly controls the direction the machine will move, the operator usually causing it to follow a series of short arcs to the right and left along the path of travel. The on-off switch is located near the part of the handle gripped by the operator.

Operators of these machines have long found it both inconvenient and inefiicient to stop their machines when applying cleaning and waxing compositions to the floor surface being worked upon. Heretofore, however, there has been no really practical alternative. Floor cleaner and waxes packaged in aerosol containers are convenient to use, but it is still usually necessary to stop the machine in order to direct the aerosol spray to a specific floor area. It has been suggested that aerosol cans containing floor treating compositions might be attached to floor machines. Thus, US. Patent 3,071,792 discloses mounting an aerosol container near the machine operators hands, a long tube delivering the dispensed contents to the floor surface. Although the container is readily actuated, there is necessarily a time lag between actuation and delivery. Further, the long delivery tube tends to clog, necessitating frequent removal and cleaning. It is also necessary to clean the States Patent ice delivery tube when changing from, for example, a floor cleaning composition to a waxing composition.

US. Patent 3,254,804 shows a device which avoids the time lag and cleaning problems just discussed by clamping an inverted aerosol container at the front of a machine near the floor, and actuating the valve by pulling a slack wire which extends from a trigger to the handle of the machine. Although this device is effective to a degree, the aerosol container is subject to bumping into furniture and must be clamped firmly, making it inconvenient to install and/or remove. The rigid mounting also limits the floor area to which the spray can be directed. Further, only aerosol containers having no dip tube can be used. The slack wire actuating device is not only awkward for the operator to manipulate but tends to snag and catch on furniture, thereby inadvertently actuating the aerosol container.

SUMMARY The present invention provides an attachment for hold ing and remotely actuating an aerosol container on a floor machine in any position from upright to completely upside down, thus permitting use of push button aerosol containers with or without dip tubes. The aerosol container can be located close to and aimed at any desired location on the floor. It is adapted for mounting anywhere around the periphery of the machine motor housing and allows the operator to direct the spray to any desired floor area. Not only the moving parts of the device but also the aerosol container (particularly the valve) are protected from damage. The aerosol container is securely held in place while still being easily removed and replaced. The operator can easily manipulate the remote control With his thumb while gripping the handle of the machine, yet the control is not prone to accidental actuation. It is not only possible but also often desirable to mount two or more of these devices on a machine to dispense various compositions rather than changing containers in a single device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Understanding of the invention will be facilitated by referring to the accompanying drawing, in which like numbers refer to like parts in the several views and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a remote control aerosol holder-actuator device embodying the principles of the invention, shown attached to a floor treating machine indicated in dotted lines;

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the device of FIGURE 1 as seen by a machine operator;

FIGURE 3 is a view of the device of FIGURE 1 with the shroud cut away to show the interior parts;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the device of FIGURE 1, taken along section line 4-4;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIGURE 1, taken along section line 5-5;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIGURE 1, taken along section line 6-6.

The overall operation of device 10, in total, is best shown in FIGURE 1, while structural details are illustrated primarily in FIGURES 2 through 6'.

thereto. Depressing knob 56 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The embodiment shown and described in the drawing is that preferred for use on conventional commercial floor cleaning and polishing machines. Device comprises holder which firmly grips aerosol container 11 and is attached to the floor machine by mounting assembly 40. Shroud 60 surrounds holder 20, protecting it and aerosol container 11 from damage. Remote control assembly 50, connected to holder 20 and the floor machine handle, permits actuation of the push button of aerosol container 11.

Holder 20 comprises elongated channel frame 21, having sides 23, on each of which, near one end thereof, is located a claw 22 to engage and hold the upper end seam of an aerosol container. At the opposite end of channel 21 is slot 24, in which is mounted slide assembly 25 having curved hook 26 at the lower end thereof for engaging and holding the lower end seam of an aerosol container. Headed rivets 27a and 27 I) extend through slide assembly 25 and slot 24, the heads overlying the edges of slot 24, so that slide assembly 25 is free to move lengthwise of channel 21. Extending inwardly from channel 21 is lip 28, one end of coil spring 29 being attached thereto; the other end of spring 29 is attached to the head of rivet 27b so as to place slide assembly 25 under spring tension. When gripping aerosol can 11, spring 29 is desirably under a tension of 4 /2 to 12 pounds, preferably about 5 to 7 pounds, to hold aerosol container 11 securely and still allow it to be easily removed and replaced.

At the end of channel sides 23 adjacent claws 22 are holes 30, through which extends shaft 31, with trigger 32 pivotally mounted thereon. At one end of trigger 32 is projection 33, which is shaped so that it will fit and serve to depress the valve button of a standard aerosol container. The opposite end of trigger 32 extends through opening 35 in channel 21, opening 35 limiting the pivotal movement of trigger 32 so as not to damage the aerosol container push button by depressing it too far.

Mounting assembly comprises arm 41, which may be attached to either side of channel 21 by screws 43 to permit mounting holder 20 at any desired peripheral location about the base of a conventional fioor cleaning and polishing machine. At the distal end of arm 41 is hole 42, mounting bracket being attached to arm 41 by threaded stud 44, which extends through hole 42 and is secured in place with wing nut 46. Arm 41 can be swiveled on stud 44 to position holder 20 and aerosol container 11 at any desired angle for directing the aerosol contents toward the floor surface. Bracket 45 is conviently fitted with slots 47 through which pass airplane hose clamp 48, permitting holder 20 to be attached and secured to the motor housing or other convenient portion of a conventional floor cleaning and polishing machine.

Shroud 60, which is attached to channel 21 by screws 61, serves to protect the moving parts in holder 20, as well as aerosol container 11. At both sides of shroud 60 are slots 62, permitting arm 41 to extend from either side of holder 20, as discussed in the preceding paragraph.

Near the upper end of the handle of a floor machine, adjacent the hand controls, is positioned bracket 51, one end of conduit 52 being attached thereto by nut 53 and the other end being attached to channel 21 by clamps 54. Inside conduit 52 is slide wire 55, one end of which is hooked into hole 34 of trigger 32, the other end being connected to and terminating at knob 56. Compression spring 57, surrounding wire 55, is located between bracket 51 and knob 56, serving to so bias wire 55 that it normally keeps projection 33 of trigger 32 from actuating the push button of an aerosol can positioned adjacent moves wire 55 within conduit 52 and pivots trigger 32 about shaft 31 to depress the valve button of aerosol container 11. When knob 56 is released, spring 57 causes knob 56, wire 55, and trigger 32 to return to their initial positions and shut off the aerosol valve. It is preferred that remote control assembly 50 be such that trigger 32 is rotated by pushing rather than pulling knob 56, so that the machine operator can operate the device with his thumb and need not remove his hands from the machine hand controls to dispense the aerosol container contents. Enclosing wire 55 in conduit 52 prevents inadevertent actuation of the container valve if the remote control cable is snagged or caught on an object.

As shown in FIGURE 1, a second holder of the general type described can be attached to the machine handle and utilized as a spare can holder. A machine operator can then easily transport another aerosol container with him for quick replacement on the job site.

I claim:

-1. A device for securely holding aerosol containers and remotely dispensing the contents thereof especially adapted for attachment to a conventional floor cleaning and polishing machine, comprising in combination:

an elongated frame having two ends, claw means on said frame near one of said ends adapted to engage the end seam of an aerosol container;

a slide assembly with hook means thereon attached to said frame at the end opposite said claw means to releasably engage the end seam of an aerosol container,

a trigger pivotally attached to said frame near one end thereof, and adapted to depress the valve button of an aerosol container held by said claw means and said hook means;

a mounting means comprising an arm connected to said frame and extending laterally therefrom and a bracket pivotally attached to said arm to permit attachment and pivotal movement of said frame at any desired peripheral location about the base of a conventional floor treating machine, and

a remote control means, connected to said trigger and attachable to a distant location for operating said trigger,

whereby said frame and component parts can be attached to a conventional floor machine, an aerosol container mounted in said frame and remotely actuated to dispense the aerosol container contents to the floor surface.

2. The holder-actuator device of claim 1 wherein the slide assembly is under spring tension of about 4 /2 to 12 pounds to securely hold an aerosol container in place and still allow rapid easy removal and replacement.

3. The holder-actuator device of claim 2 wherein the frame has an opening therein to control and limit the movement of the trigger extending therethrough when said trigger is rotated to depress an aerosol valve button to dispense aerosol container contents.

4. The holder-actuator device of claim 3 wherein the trigger actuating means is a spring-loaded stiff slide wire. mm.

5. The holder-actuator device of claim 4 wherein a shroud is attached to and partially surrounds said frame, thereby protecting both the holder-actuator components and the aerosol container from accidental damage.

6. A device for securely holding aerosol containers and remotely dispensing the contents thereof, especially adapted for attachment to a conventional floor cleaning and polishing machine, comprising in combination:

an elongated frame having two ends, two claws near one of said ends adapted to engage the upper end seam of an aerosol container;

a spring-loaded slide assembly with a hook thereon, at-

tached to said frame at the end opposite said claws to releasably engage the lower end seam of an aerosol container;

a trigger pivotally attached to said frame near said claws to depress the valve button of an aerosol container gripped between said claws and said hook;

an arm attached to one side of said frame to permit pivotal attachment of said frame to a mounting bracket on a floor cleaning and polishing machine;

a mounting bracket pivotally attached to said arm and attachable to a floor scrubbing and waxing machine by means of a hose clamp;

a spring loaded rigid wire within a conduit, attached to said trigger and attachable to a distant location for remotely operating said trigger to dispense aerosol container contents;

a shroud attached to and extending over said frame to protect the aerosol container from accidental damage.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1959 Hawkins 222-174 6/1963 Helm 222-191 X 7/ 1966 Grant 222-174 X SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner H. S. LANE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

